Collection: Turnbull Pottery by Tom Turnbull

Turnbull Pottery creates exquisite pottery—the culmination of a life dedicated to ceramics. Tom Turnbull’s father was a pioneer who produced clay for the burgeoning field of ceramic arts in the early 60s. He founded Standard Ceramic Supply where Tom learned about clay production and was inspired by the many talented potters who sought his father’s technical expertise.

Tom’s mastery of his craft began with apprenticeships with Charles Counts, author of Common Clay, renowned folk-art potter Legatha Walston, and studied with Bauhaus-trained master potter Marguerite Wildenhain. In 1986, Tom founded Mid-South Ceramic, developing the highly-acclaimed Opulence Glaze™. Both company and patents were sold to an international corporation and Tom now devotes himself to pottery full-time. He is an artist and glaze chemist who is breaking ground by painting with glaze on porcelain canvas.

Recognition:

Permanent Display, Center for Disease Control & Prevention Visitors Center, Atlanta, Georgia, 2004-present.

Givenchy Collection, 2017.

Iconic fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy (1927-2018) was known for his work with Jacqueline Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn, among others. Givenchy was a supporter of Friends of Chantilly, a not-for-profit group that preserves paintings, sculptures, books and historic manuscripts at Château de Chantilly and provides educational exchanges. In recognition of Givenchy’s support, Friends of Chantilly selected the piece below, and it now resides in Givenchy’s permanent collection.

Sylvia’s Ashes, 2012.

Tom’s dear friend, Sylvia Hyman, was an internationally-recognized ceramic artist who worked with clay well into her nineties. At Sylvia’s memorial service, Tom was deeply honored to learn that he had inherited a portion of her ashes. It gives Tom’s work deep meaning to place a trace amount of ash in each of porcelain piece and honoring Sylvia by making her part of her beloved art form.